Swimming pool cleaning implement



Nov. 30, 1965 T. H. RUHLING 3,220,037v

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed March 27, 1964 INVENTOR. @d H. ,em/f2@ BY 5%rw/ f ATroRNEs/.

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United States Patent() 3,220,037 SWIMMING POOL CLEANING IMPLEMENT Ted H. Ruhling, Lees Summit, Mo., assignor to Nylon Netting Products, Inc., a corporation of Missouri Filed Mar. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 355,263 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-1.7)

This invention deals with an improved construction for implements for removing debris from swimming pools and the like.

As is known, concrete or plastic lined swimming pools often require the removal of leaves, paper, dead insects and the like in order to maintain them in clean and In some cases, the foreign matter or debris may be floating on the surface or at some lower level. An ordinary net or seine on a long handle can be used in these cases. However, in many instances, leaves or paper fragments sink to the bottom and adhere tightly or plaster themselves to the bottom wall of the pool. It is ordinarily quite ditiicult, if not impossible, to dislodge and pick up such items with the usual cleaning nets or baskets available today.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool cleaning implement which is s'o constructed as to readily pick up leaves, papers and other items which tend to cling to the walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide an implement of the character described which is simple in construction and can be manufactured with ease and facility.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an implement of the character described in which the structure enabling picking up of leaves, papers and the like from the walls is formed as a part of the means employed for assembling and securing the debris collecting net or basket with the implement.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an implement of the character described which can be formed in various shapes and in which the use of special fasteners, such as rivets and the like, is avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide an implement of the character described which is so constructed as to avoid damage from rust or other corrosion and which has a long life under the severest of conditions of use.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. l is a top perspective view of a typical cleaning implement constructed according to the invention, the long extension handle not being shown;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the implement of FIG. l showing it in a typical cleaning position on the bottom wall of a pool, a fragment of the extension handle being shown in broken lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane represented by the line 3 3 in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to -the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. l-4, inclusive, reference numeral indicates a hollow tubular handle section which is preferably formed from aluminum or other similar non-rusting material. The outer 3,22,@37 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 Mice end of the handle is capped as at 11 with a plastic cap press fitted thereover. A ring section 12 of similar plastic material is press fitted over the handle intermediate the ends, the thickness of the ring increasing in the direction away from the cap as seen in FIG. 3. The handle is provided with longitudinally spaced diametric perforations 10a located between the ring 12 and cap 11, the purpose of which will subsequently be explained.

Aixed to that end of the handle section opposite the cap 11 is a ring structure 13 to which is secured the open end of the foraminous net or basket 14 having the closed end 15 and side edges 15a. The ring structure is of elongate oval construction having relatively long parallel straight sides joined by substantially semi-circular end sections and the general configuration of the open end of the basket follows this shape. The basket is preferably constructed from flexible non-corroding strands or lilaments woven into an open weave net-like arrangement. I prefer a basket woven of glass or synthetic resin strands or filaments.

Turning now to a detailed description of the ring structure, its main structural component comprises a bar 16 of aluminum or the like (FIGS. 3 and 4) bent in the shape of the ring and having the outturned parallel end portions 16a which extend into the adjacent end of the handle section. The end portions of the bar are held by a press fitted plug 17 inserted in the end of the handle which wedges the end portions against the inside of the handle section.

The basket or net 14 is connected with the bar 16 by means of a clamping member 18, a cross section of which is best seen in FIG. 4. The clamping member is constructed 0f a stiff, tough, yet resiliently deformable plastic. I employ Tenite butyrate sold by Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. The clamping member is preferably extruded and cut to a length such as to t over the bar 16 with the end joint adjacent the handle.

The generally cross sectional shape of the clamping member 18 is that of a U. The outer leg is indicated at 18a and the inner leg at 18b. The bight portion 18C is located on the opposite edge of the bar from the direction of the basket. The legs lie on opposite sides of the bar. It will be observed that the free end of the outer leg 18a is curved slightly inwardly as at 18d toward the inner leg. The inner leg has a continuous beveled flange 18e projecting laterally toward the outer leg. The gap 19 between the edge of the flange and the tip portion of the outer leg is of lesser thickness than the bar.

The basket is secured in place to the ring structure by folding the free edge of the basket over the bar along the length thereof as indicated at 14a in FIG. 4 and then pressing the clamping member over the bar until thev beveled ange 18e clears the edge of the bar. The legs and bight of the clamping member engage the folded por-` tion of the basket and hold the basket rmly to the ring structure. The resilence of the material of which the clamping member is formed permits the legs to spread during assembly and then causes them to snap back to the relatively unstressed condition of FIG. 4 when the flange 18d has cleared the adjacent edge. The flange prevents easy disassembly once the clamping member is installed.

The clamping member is provided on the bight side thereof with a projecting lip 18f running lengthwise thereof. The lip is located flush with the outer periphery of the clamping member as installed on the bar. The thickness of the lip is reduced toward the free edge so as to provide a relatively sharp edge 18g.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, when readied for use, the

implement is connected with an extension handle 20 of sufficient length that a person standing on the edge of a pool can contact the implement with the bottom walls. A typical bottom wall section is shown at 21. The eX- tension handle is a tubular element having one end of an inside diameter such that it can be sleeved over the handle section in a close fit with the maximum diameter portions of the end cap 11 and intermediate spacer ring 12. The extension handle is provided with apertures which are located to register with the apertures 10a of the handle and bolts or other fasteners 22 are inserted therethrough to lock the implement to the extension handle.

In using the implement for cleaning debris from the bottom of the pool, it is oriented as in FIG. 2 with the lip 181 along one side of the implement in engagement with the bottom. The implement is then drawn along the bottom in the direction illustrated by the arrow. The sharp edge of the lip moves along the bottom, operating to pick up and direct into the basket any flattened papers or leaves which may be adhered to the wall. The thin nature of the lip relative to theoverall thickness of the ring structure and the sharp edge cooperate to insure that the leaves and other debris will be dislodged and directed into the basket as the implement is advanced.

By providing a lip which extends around the curved ends of the ring structure as well as along the sides, it is possible to dislodge leaves, papers and other similar items found in corners and curved portions of a pool. Of course, the basket can also be used to pick up materials which are suspended off the bottom.

In FIG. 5 I have shown a somewhat different form of the implement, the main change being in the depth of the basket and in the shape of the ring structure. This unit has a handle structure 110 constructed identically with that described in connection with the preceding embodiment and the basic ring structure is also the same. As in the precedingv embodiment, the basket 114 is securedv to the ring structure through a clamping member 118 of identical construction with that of the preceding embodiment. The clamping member has the lip 118f and the lip functions exactly as described above. The device of FIG. 5 is one which would be used principally for skimming the surface but it has the added advantage that it can be used where desired to dislodge paper and leaves from the bottom and walls of the pool.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the process.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. T hisis contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown 5 in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense,

Having thus described my'invention, I claim:

1. A swimming pool cleaning implement comprising a handle member, a ring structure secured to one end of said handle member and having at least one long straight portion, a foraminous basket having a closed end and an open end, the open end of the basket having edge portions coinciding with and secured to the ring structure, the said straight portion -of said ring structure having a projecting sharp edged lip running lengthwise thereof and projecting away from said structure on the side opposite the basket.

2. A swimming pool cleaning implement comprising a handle member, a ring structure secured to one end of said handle member and having a center axis, said ring structure including a stiff sharp edged lip extending therearound, the lip projecting in an axial direction with respect to the axis of the ring, and a foraminous basket having a closed end and an open end, the basket located on the opposite side of said ring structure from said lip and the edge of the open end of said basket secured to said ring structure.

3. A swimming pool cleaning implement comprising a handle member, a ring structure secured to one end of said handle member, said ring structure including a core element conforming in shape with the ring structure, a foraminous basket having a closed end and an open end, the open end of the basket adjoining and folded over the said core element along the length thereof, said ring structure including further a clamping member press tted over said folded portion of said basket and said core element whereby to connect the basket with the ring structure, said clamping member having formed thereon a sharply edged lip projecting from said clamping member along the length thereof on the opposite side from the basket.

4. The combination as in claim 3 wherein said clamping member is substantially U-shaped in cross section with the said lip formed on the bight thereof.

5. The combination as in claim 4 wherein the said clamping member has an inturned flange at the outer end of one of the legs of the U.

6. The combination as in claim 3 wherein said lipy is ush with the outer periphery of said clamping member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,583,987 1/1952 Baisor 43-12 2,902,705 8/1959 Eistrup 15-1.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 447,692 4/ 1948 Canada.

OTHER REFERENCES Interpool Swimming Pool Products, 1964 Pool Cleaning Equipment, page 8.

CHARLES A. W1LLMUTH,vPrmary Examiner. 

1. A SWIMMING POOL CLEANING IMPLEMENT COMPRISING A HANDLE MEMBER, A RING STRUCTURE SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER AND HAVING AT LEST ONE LONG STRAIGHT PORTION, A FORAMINOUS BASKET HAVING A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END, THE OPEN END OF THE BASKET HAVING EDGE PORTIONS COINCIDING WITH AND SECURED TO THE RING STRUCTURE, THE SAID STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID RING STRUCTURE HAVING A PROJECTING SHARP EDGED LIP RUNNING LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND PROJECTING AWAY FROM SAID STRUCTURE ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE THE BASKET. 